can you tour east high

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You Can Visit The Real East High School From 'High School Musical'

If you're a true High School Musical fan, you should know by now that East High School is based on a real place. Part of the movie series was filmed at the Salt Lake City, Utah school, and they used its real name in the franchise. Now, East also serves as the backdrop for Disney's High School Musical: The Musical: The Series , but in an even more meta way: in the show, the East students stage a production of the High School Musical movie, which was filmed at their (fictionalized) school.

In real life, East High School has become quite the tourist destination. School administrators told The Deseret News that in 2007, a year after the first HSM movie was released, 40 to 50 people were dropping by daily — much to the students' chagrin.

"So many people coming here and taking pictures. It kind of gets annoying after a while," Amber Lee, then a senior and drama club president, told the outlet at the time. The school's principal Paul Sagers, however, saw the bright side. "It's quite the buzz. The traffic has been unbelievable," he said, adding that the school's Parent Teacher Association was taking advantage of the attention by selling East High t-shirts. Later that year, East's own stage production of High School Musical debuted to a sold-out audience.

Today, dozens of fan-led tours through the high school can be found on YouTube, including the iconic cafeteria where multiple dance numbers took place, the gym where Troy got his head in the game, and the classrooms where students counted down to summer. When the High School Musical: The Musical: The Series cast learned that they, too, would film in the building, they were ecstatic.

"It was a dream filming at East High," Sofia Wylie, who plays Gina Porter on the show, told SpoilerTV. "That was actually one of the first days that I filmed and I had never been inside ... right before I walked in I was just so overwhelmed. I was like, 'My life is beginning.' It was the craziest moment."

Wylie's co-star Matt Cornett, who plays E.J., had similar feelings. "My first scene that I filmed was in the cafeteria, very first shot," he told SpoilerTV. "I didn't know it was possible to be starstruck by a building. But I was."

• Plan Your Trip
• Utah Itineraries

See Where High School Musical Was Born

4 Days   •   419 Miles

You know the songs like you know your own name. You’ve still got a fat crush on Zac Efron, even if you won’t admit it. You’ve binge-watched every episode of the new "High School Musical: The Musical: The Series" on Disney+ and loved every dramatic second of it. Now it’s time to plan a trip to the iconic Utah sites where the "High School Musical" movies and TV series were filmed.

This four-day itinerary is every fan’s guide to the High School Musical universe. It will take you to the stage where Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez made their musical debut, the golf resort and baseball diamond featured in "High School Musical 2" and to the real-life East High School in Salt Lake City where the cast once walked, sang and danced. 

Just like Troy and Gabriella, Utah’s heart can be found in two places: the surprisingly rich arts and cultural scenes in its urban spaces and its beautiful mountain and desert landscapes. Along with taking you to iconic film sites, this guide will throw you headfirst into both Utah’s performing arts scene and its sports and recreation experiences, with day one spent in the buzzing grid of downtown Salt Lake City and day two spent in the towering Wasatch Mountains that run like a spine down the city’s east edge.

Finally, you’ll end your journey at the striking red rocks of St. George and one of Utah’s natural leading ladies: Zion National Park.

Arianna Rees is a freelance writer living in Salt Lake City, but her heart is in Cache Valley, where she grew up. Her work has been featured in over a dozen publications, including Deseret News, The Startup, and The Beehive. When she isn't hurriedly typing away at her computer, Arianna can be found hiking and bouldering in the mountains or neck deep in a good book. Follow her on Twitter @AriWRees.

Header photo provided by ©2006 DISNEY CHANNEL. All rights reserved. NO ARCHIVING. NO RESALE.

Live Like A Wildcat

• Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City has a thriving film scene that puts you on-set as well as in front of it. Run by the Salt Lake City Film Society, Broadway Centre Cinemas  downtown plays exceptional independent films that make for great post-lunch matinees. After you’ve cozied up to a good flick, get a taste of what it would be like to be in one by swinging by  East High School , where "High School Musical" was born and the "High School Musical: The Musical: The Series" ("HSMTMTS") was filmed. The cast sang “Stick to the Status Quo” in the cafeteria and Troy led the Wildcats to victory in the gym. Sharpay’s locker(s) are even still painted pink to this day. (Note: East High School allows self-guided tours Monday-Friday, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.)

End your day the way Troy might by catching a  Utah Jazz  game and watching Utah’s favorite basketball team fight for a win.

Foodie Pick:  Grab an espresso and a delicious piece of gourmet toast at  Publik Coffee Roaster , which was featured in episode four of "HSMTMTS." 

Alternative Nighttime Activity:  If you’d rather indulge your musical-loving side than your sports side, plan a trip to the  Eccles Theater  downtown, which features several award-winning Broadway plays a year, or hit some pins at the  Bonwood Bowl , featured in episode five of "HSMTMTS."

Overnight:  Salt Lake City

Extend Your Trip:  If you’ve got extra time to explore downtown, visit the Utah State Capital Building and meander through  Temple Square  to learn some of the more fascinating parts of Utah’s political and religious history.

Photo provided by ©2006 DISNEY CHANNEL. All rights reserved. NO ARCHIVING. NO RESALE.

Hit The Slopes & The Stage

• Murray High School
• Hale Center Theatre
• Alta or Snowbird

While most of the "High School Musical" movie was filmed at East High, you can see the stage where Troy and Gabrielle auditioned at  Murray High School  — just make sure to call ahead and set up an appointment to see it beforehand. Travel east from Murray and bop to the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon to spend the day at  Snowbird  or  Alta  ski resort. Though you might not find true love and a duet partner there, you’re sure to find  The Greatest Snow on Earth® . Snowbird boasts 2,500 acres and has the longest ski season in Utah, while Alta offers over 116 runs and enjoyable skiing for beginners. Both resorts are spiderwebbed with a network of trails that can be accessed for hiking, mountain biking, and beautiful wildflower viewing in the summertime.

After you’ve spent the day on the slopes or on the trails, wind down by seeing a musical in-person at the famous  Hale Centre Theatre , one of the most technological theatrical spaces in the world with a stage that will make your head spin.  

Foodie Pick:  Utah got its first Shake Shack in 2019, and its burger is one of the best in the state. 

Overnight:  Provo/Utah County

Extend Your Trip:  If you’re visiting Utah at the end of January, consider purchasing tickets for the  Sundance Film Festival , the largest independent film festival in the U.S. You’ll get the very first look at upcoming films and might also run into a celebrity or two.

Photo provided by ©2006 DISNEY CHANNEL. All Rights Reserved.

Getcha Head In The Game

• St. George Area
• The Entrada Inn And Canyons Complex
• Tuacahn Amphitheatre

Set out from Utah’s urban center and drive south to play among the dramatic red rocks of St. George just like a Wildcat. St. George is a sports and recreation lover’s paradise, with great cycling, golfing, and climbing among other thrilling sports. For the full "High School Musical" experience, visit  The Inn at Entrada  and hit the same greens Troy and Gabriella danced on in the second film, then catch a softball game at the  Canyons Complex  where the Wildcats won the staff baseball game. Near the end of your day, head northwest to  Tuacahn  where you can watch a musical under the desert sky on the weekends. 

Foodie Pick:  Eat at the Cliffside Restaurant for breathtaking sunset views of the city. 

Overnight:  St. George

Photo provided by ©2006 DISNEY CHANNEL. All Rights Reserved.

Break Free and Visit The Wild

• Riverside Walk
• Zion Canyon Drive

Utah’s national parks aren’t featured in the "High School Musical" films, but you’ll catch them in hundreds of other films and TV shows because of their goosebump-inducing landscapes. Zion, which is an hour away from St. George, is no exception. Once in the park, step aboard a shuttle bus where you can relax and enjoy a brief history of the park while you get humbling views of its red rock cathedrals. Take the gentle Riverside Walk (which is wheelchair accessible) for a snippet of Zion’s beautiful scenery. Expert hikers can take the harrowing Angels Landing Trail to see the park from a dizzying bird’s eye view. Just be extremely careful when hiking it. Extend your stay:  Trek deeper into  Zion National Park  to explore the world-famous Narrows and other popular backpacking trails.

The Story is Utah – 'High School Musical: The Musical: The Series'

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Wildcats (at heart) rejoice: These locations from 'High School Musical' are places fans can actually visit

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As a kid I loved High School Musical . A lot. In elementary school I wore a Troy Bolton locket necklace from Claire's: There was nothing you could tell me to convince me we weren't going to get married someday.

Flash forward 15 years later and well … I'm definitely not married to Zac Efron, but High School Musical remains one of my favorite movie franchises of all time. Ever since seeing the movies, it's been on my bucket list to visit East High and Lava Springs Country Club in real life. No, they aren't movie sets, but actual destinations that exist in Utah.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Yahoo Entertainment (@yahooentertainment)

As a mega-fan of the franchise, it seemed like a trip to Salt Lake City and St. George, Utah would be the perfect way to make my childhood dreams a reality, minus marrying Troy, of course.

Recently, I made the trip. And, in the words of Sharpay Evans, the experience was nothing short of fabulous .

How to visit East High, home of the Wildcats

Yes, the infamous East High from High School Musical actually exists: It's a regularly-operating high school in Salt Lake City. But while it's business as usual for the staff and students who call East High home, the school has also become a tourist attraction for visitors from all over.

"A few months ago, during the school day we had someone say they came all the way from Norway just to see the school," Lance Taylor, the assistant principal at East High, tells Yahoo Life . "Fans want to see the common area, the pink locker and the gym."

Mijel Tenenbaum, a self-proclaimed High School Musical enthusiast from Buenos Aires, Argentina recalls wanting to visit East High ever since she was a young girl.

"High School Musical: The Concert was my first ever concert when I was 13. I remember I memorized all the lyrics in anticipation and it remains truly such a core memory," she says. "When I visited East High on vacation, it was an actual dream come true. I couldn't believe the school actually existed and I was there. I think it shaped my love for pop music to this day."

Similar to Tenenbaum, I was a fan who wanted to see Sharpay's iconic pink locker and do the signature high jump in front of the school. When I, a 22-year-old woman, arrived, it was clear I wasn't a student at the school, but rather a fan-girl who had been waiting her whole life for this moment. At dismissal, a few students saw me sitting outside on a bench and asked, "Are you here to see Troy Bolton?"

"Not quite," I said, "but here to look at the school." According to those boys, it's not a rare occurrence to see tourists like myself snapping photos and freaking out — it's just a normal part of their school day.

While Taylor says the school doesn't offer any official High School Musical- related tours, if people come to the school between 3:15 and 4:15 p.m. they can usually get in to have a look around. Officially, a sign on the doors of the school warn that visiting hours are Monday through Friday after 3:30 p.m.

It's important to note HSM -obsessed visitors are not allowed to tour the school during regular operating hours. East High has real kids to teach, after all.

My sister and I had no trouble entering the building at the allotted time. We walked around looking for all of the spots: the cafeteria, the gymnasium, Sharpay's locker and more. To my surprise, there was no line-up of tourists waiting to snap photos. The school was uncrowded and we got all the photos our HSM super-fan hearts desired.

We had a bit of trouble finding the cafeteria and that iconic pink locker, so we asked some students and they were happy to give us directions — it wasn't their first rodeo.

There are no words to express the audible gasp that came out of my mouth when I spotted the pink locker. As a pink enthusiast down to my hair color, this definitely would have been my locker in high school. After soaking in all of Sharpay's pink fabulousness, we roamed around a bit and came across the cafeteria, the place where the song "Stick to the Status Quo" was filmed and Sharpay sang those dramatic lines: This is not what I want/ This is not what I planned.

The East High cafeteria was everything we wanted and planned for, however. After taking it all in, we headed to the gym, which was locked and closed for the day. We weren't able to see the court where "We're All in This Together" and "Get'cha Head in the Game" were filmed, but like true Wildcats, we persevered, taking plenty of pictures and videos outside the school in the commons area. My favorite shots from the day: Me doing the signature jump used in the promotional photos and the film.

In total, we spent about an hour touring East High. But there's another local high school that helped make HSM magic: The auditorium where students auditioned, rehearsed and performed in the film is actually located at Murray High School , approximately 10 minutes away from East High. I couldn't leave Salt Lake City without visiting the beloved stage, so off we went for the start of something new.

Prior to my visit, I scheduled a tour through the school and was shown the stage and Sharpay's backstage dressing room. I wasn't expecting to be able to step foot on the stage, but we were able to sing, dance and film whatever we wanted for 20 minutes. The tour guide even brought us out some of the props to take pictures with that were used in the film: The way these locations have embraced their place in HSM history is charming for sure.

How to visit Lava Springs Country Club

Salt Lake City is sure to give any HSM fan their fix of nostalgia. However, if you want to take it to the next level, you'll need to travel to St. George, Utah, about a four-hour drive from Salt Lake City. There, you'll find The Inn at Entrada , where the majority of High School Musical 2 , which took place at the fictional Lava Springs Country Club, was filmed.

As the saying goes, "When in Rome …" or, in this case, Utah: I decided to spend two nights at the resort, living my best HSM life.

"We actually do not track our guests this way but I would say we still have two guests per week that come for this purpose," says Russell Clove, general manager at The Inn at Entrada. "We have had people from Mexico, the U.K. and China."

Remember the epic pool with the fountain? The golf course? The bridge? The restaurant? At The Inn at Entrada, you can actually use all of those amenities and recreate some of the most iconic scenes in cinematic history.

Although no official tours given to The Inn at Entrada guests, Clove notes upon check-in, guests can ask for a fact-sheet with tidbits pertinent to the movie.

Some of those fun facts? Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens's room numbers during their stay corresponded with their age at the time of filming, most of the country club members seen in the movie are real members of Entrada and during his stay, Efron liked to skateboard on the resort's driveway.

Chris Warren, who plays Zeek in the films, was known to order pizza a lot during his stay, and the entire cast could be found lounging by the pool when they weren't shooting.

Like the HSM cast, guests are welcome to use the pool, golf course and wellness center during their stay. I took advantage of these opportunities and sat by the pool with a gorgeous view of the red rocks, walked alongside the golf course and ate at The Grille at Entrada , the restaurant seen in the movie.

By the pool, I recreated Sharpay's "Fabulous" number. On the golf course, I spoofed Troy's emotional "Bet On It" performance. Full disclosure: the golf course recently underwent construction so it's not the same as it was when Efron sang his heart out on the green, but the HSM vibes are still there.

One night during dinner at The Grille, our server told us a supervisor at the restaurant was actually an extra in the movie. He graciously showed us around the resort, giving us peeks at the everything from the clubhouse to the shelf that held the Star Dazzle Awards in the film. He even took us to the tower where Sharpay and Ryan sat to spy on Troy and Gabriella on the golf course.

As a HSM fan, I truly felt like I'd stepped onto multiple movie sets from the franchise during my visit to Utah. I got my head in the game, felt fabulous and truly enjoyed being all in this together with fellow fans of the films. Maybe someday I'll visit again, if I can just find my old Troy Bolton locket to accessorize with.

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The real East High from ‘High School Musical’ is in Utah. Here’s what makes the school so special

For architect roger jackson, the biggest star of ‘high school musical’ was a character that didn’t have any lines or dance moves.

By Lottie Elizabeth Johnson

SALT LAKE CITY —  Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens rose to fame starring in Disney Channel’s “High School Musical,” where teenagers danced up and down locker-lined hallways, stylishly dribbled basketballs across a gymnasium floor and twirled into a red-and-white cafeteria. 

But for architect Roger Jackson, the movie’s biggest star was a character that didn’t have any lines or dance moves. This character, though, was central to the movie and the “High School Musical” franchise at large: Salt Lake City’s historic East High School — the primary setting for the billion-dollar franchise . 

“Kids from all over the country and literally all over the world know this building,” said Jackson, who was the project architect for the East High reconstruction in the 1990s. “I joke that this is one of the most famous buildings in the world … among a certain demographic.” 

When “ High School Musical ” aired in January 2006, 7.7 million viewers tuned in, which at the time was a Disney Channel viewership record. Then the sequel came out a year later and brought in 18.6 million viewers , shattering that previous record. In total, more than 255 million people around the world have seen “High School Musical.” 

So like the “Home Alone” house in Chicago, East High School has become a destination spot for “High School Musical” fans. During the summer of 2007 — when “High School Musical 2” aired — East High School received 40 to 50 visitors per day, People magazine reported. 

More than a decade later, the building continues to draw visitors, who take tours of the school and snap selfies in front of the widely-recognized facade. 

“There are families who have to divert their vacation through Salt Lake City so they can go look at this school,” Jackson said. “It’s become kind of a pilgrimage place.” 

The school’s popularity will likely increase with “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” the new Disney Plus show that launched Nov. 12.

Unlike the “High School Musical” trilogy, which places East High in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the new series acknowledges the Salt Lake City location and even embraces the school’s actual mascot — students are now leopards, not wildcats. 

And the story, as the title suggests, is a bit meta. 

At East High School in Salt Lake City, Miss Jenn, the new drama teacher, was an extra in “High School Musical” years before and proposes doing a stage production of the movie at the very place the movies were filmed.

The series is a mockumentary and includes a mix of new songs and popular songs from the movie. At the start of the show , Nini (Olivia Rodrigo) has a new boyfriend, E.J. (Matt Cornett), and gets cast in the lead role of Gabriella (Hudgens’ character). Her ex-boyfriend Ricky (Joshua Bassett) tries out for the part of Troy (Efron’s character) in an attempt to win her back. The drama — on and off stage — unfolds over 10 episodes. The series has already been renewed for a second season, and production will resume early next year in Salt Lake City, Deadline reported. 

Seeing the hallways and commons area he designed more than 20 years ago continue to come to life with choreographed dances is surreal for Jackson, who never could have imagined the reach his project at East High — a fairly run-of-the mill task for an architect — would have. 

When Jackson was hired for the job, East High was the biggest building he’d ever worked on (since then, the Utah-based architect has worked on a number of temples for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and will be the lead designer for the upcoming Salt Lake Temple renovations that begin Dec. 30). 

“The site was tricky. It’s a full Salt Lake City block, which is 10 acres,” he said. “Ten acres seems like a lot until you’ve got to put a high school on it.” 

The bulk of the reconstruction — which Jackson said cost more than $30 million — happened in 1996 and involved demolishing the 1913 building that was one of the first schools in the Salt Lake Valley and survived a fire in the 1970s. That building meant a lot to Jackson — his mom graduated from East High in 1935 — and his team did careful brick detailing in an effort to maintain the collegiate, gothic style of the original building. 

“We tried to save it. One of our architects was a pretty devout preservationist and he made a good pitch … but the district said ‘No, we want a new school,’” Jackson said. “We had a lot of meetings with the community and they wanted the school on 13th East, facing east. I mean it’s East High School — it has to face east.” 

“High School Musical” premiered a decade after the reconstruction, and Jackson believes it was his work in the commons area that won the crew over — the stairs and terraces that create kind of a pecking order among the classes and also make for good dance numbers. In fact, when “High School Musical 2” was about to premiere, People magazine did a big story with a two-page spread that showed the beloved cast dancing along those very steps. 

Jackson ripped the pages from the magazine, and it’s something he still proudly shows people today. 

“Any high school is going to have hallways with lockers on both sides — those scenes could’ve been anywhere,” he said. “But to see them dancing in this big common space was really pretty great, because we wanted this to be a fun and dynamic space.” 

East High hasn’t changed much since Jackson worked on the school. His four children went there, and his son was even an extra in “High School Musical 3: Senior Year.” While in college, one of his daughters took friends to see Sharpay’s pink locker. And when Jackson’s family housed a German exchange student a few years ago, visiting the school was one of the first things on her to-do list. 

“We always believed that it would turn into something special,” Jackson said. “The building shows so well and it just looks so great. And that’s what makes the show.”

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HSM Kinda Lied To You About Real East High

Sorry, but high school musical lied to you about the real east high, more from tv, r29 original series.

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Can I visit east high school on Friday? - Utah Forum

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Can I visit east high school on Friday?

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Hello! I'm thinking about visit here on 22nd November, Friday.

I don't know if I can visit there on Friay.

If so, what time is the best to visit here. Thank you. please reply me!

You can drive by the school anytime. I don’t know if the general public is allowed to tour the school during school hours. You should probably call the school and ask, Here’s the phone number. 801-583-1661.

FYI,, East High School underwent an extensive remodel after “High School Musical” was filmed. The front facade is completely different than it was in the musical.

With the recent school shootings and Increased security, I seriously doubt that you could visit the school while in session. Student safety is important and a priority. ( I’m a teacher in FL) Here in Florida only people on official business are allowed past the front desk. Many Local schools have fences and a gate guard. Call the school as advised about tours.

For sure, you will not be able walk in to the school and wander around. Call the number that I provided and ask if tours are available.

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity.

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East High School Tour

May 2; may 30.

Join Denver Architecture Foundation for an inside look at one of Denver’s architectural gems – Denver East High School!

About the tour : Explore the halls of East High School with a retired teacher as your guide. After outgrowing the “Old East” building in Downtown Denver, East High School as we now know it has been standing since 1925 on one of Denver’s most historic streets – Colfax Avenue. Learn about the influence that Denver’s early history of mining and agriculture had on statues outside of the building and how “Old East” student turned architect George Hebard Williamson designed the new building to resemble Old Hall at Oxford University. From the esplanade to the tower that offers a panoramic view of Downtown and the mountains, it’s sure to be a memorable tour!

About East High School : Sitting on the block surrounded by Colfax Avenue on the South, 17th Avenue on the North, Detroit Street on the East, and the Esplanade on the West, East High School is a piece of Denver architecture recognized and loved by many! While “Old East” at 20th and Stout could accommodate 700 students, East High School today houses over 2,500 Denver students each year. East High School’s operations are driven by their purpose statement: “At Denver East our caring community of unique individuals is driven by our great strength: our diversity. Academic, artistic, and cultural learning experiences develop the whole person and propel every Angel to success in learning and in life.”

About the tour guide: Richard Nelson is a retired teacher who taught at East High School from 1962 – 1995. He is a member of the East High Historical Society, a co-curator of the East High Tower Museum, and the author of “Flights of Angels: A History of Denver East High School” that highlights the entire history of the school, from its original building to its current location, published in 2007.

Accessibility : The tour will begin outside for a short time, then we will visit all 4 floors of the school, including the Tower Museum. An elevator is available for moving from floor to floor and there will be an opportunity for seated rest in the library and social room. The tour will begin at the front of the building, and there is a wheelchair accessible entrance on the east side, off of Detroit Street.

East High School

1600 city park esplanade.

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Navigating College Tours on the East Coast

March 27, 2018

Spring break is coming, and I’m sure you’re all dreaming of family vacations or taking a much need rest from your school work. However, for all you juniors out there, it’s time to start visiting colleges! We know this is a daunting task and sometimes you only have a few days to try to see as many schools as possible. With all of this in mind, we decided to create a few East Coast driving trips to help you see as many schools in any region as possible.

NORTHEASTERN LOOP:

Yale University (NYC → Yale: 2 hrs)

Connecticut College (NYC → Conn College: 2 hrs 15 mins)

Brown University (NYC → Brown: 3 hrs 30 mins)

Optional: Visit Clark University on your way to Amherst

Amherst College (NYC → Amherst: 3 hrs 15 mins)

Optional: see any of the other four colleges near Amherst College: Hampshire, Smith, Mt. Holyoke, or UMass

Trinity College (NYC → Trinity: 2 hrs 30 mins)

Wesleyan University (NYC → Wesleyan: 2 hrs 15 mins)

NYC →2:00→ Yale →0:47→ Conn College →1:00→ Brown →1:00→ Amherst →1:00→ Trinity →0:30→ Wes

BOSTON LOOP:

Wellesley College (NYC → Wellesley: 3hrs 50 mins)

Babson College (NYC → Babson: 3 hrs 50 mins)

Brandeis University (NYC → Brandeis: 3 hrs 40 mins)

Tufts University (NYC → Tufts: 4 hrs)

Harvard University (NYC → Harvard: 3 hrs 45 mins)

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Boston College (NYC → Boston: 3 hrs 45 mins)

Boston University

Northeastern

Optional adds: see Bentley when you visit Brandeis & see Emerson the same day you see BU & Northeastern

NYC →2:00→ Yale →1:40→ Brown →1:15→ Wellesley →0:10→ Babson →0:20→ Brandeis →0:30→ Tufts →0:15→ Harvard →0:10→ MIT →0:15→ BC →0:15→ BU →0:10→ Northeastern

NORTHERN LOOP:

Sarah Lawrence (NYC → SLC: 1 hr)

Vassar College (NYC → Vassar: 2 hrs)

Marist College

Bard College (NYC → Bard: 2 hrs 20 mins)

Williams College (NYC → Williams: 3 hrs 30 mins)

Skidmore College (NYC → Skidmore: 3 hrs 30 mins)

(Union College)

Middlebury College (NYC → Middlebury: 5 hrs)

Optional: Head to Maine and see Bowdoin, Colby, and Bates – OR – head to Montreal, Canada and see McGill University

NYC →0:30→ SLC →1:15→ Vassar →0:15→ Marist →0:45→ Bard →1:40→ Williams →1:25→ Skidmore →1:50→ Middlebury →1:40→ Dartmouth

WESTERN/UPSTATE NY LOOP:

Muhlenberg College (NYC → Muhlenberg: 2 hrs)

Cornell University (NYC → Cornell: 4 hrs)

Colgate University (NYC → Colgate: 4 hrs 15 mins)

Hamilton College (NYC → Hamilton: 4 hrs 20 mins)

Optional: Head back through MA and upstate NY to see Williams, Bard, Vassar, Marist, & Sarah Lawrence College

NYC →2:00→ Muhlenberg →3:00→ Cornell →1:30→ Colgate →0:30→ Hamilton →2:00→ Skidmore →1:50→ Middlebury

PENNSYLVANIA LOOP:

Lafayette College

Lehigh University

Muhlenberg College

Optional: Drive out & see Bucknell & Dickinson – OR- go all the way to Carnegie Mellon

Villanova University

Swarthmore College (NYC → Swarthmore: 2 hrs 15 mins)

University of Pennsylvania (NYC → UPenn: 2 hrs)

NYC →1:45→ Lafayette →0:30→ Lehigh →0:30→ Muhlenberg →1:30→ Villanova →0:30→ Swarthmore →0:30→ UPenn

SOUTHERN LOOP:

Johns Hopkins

Optional: While in DC you can also see George Washington University, American University, & the Catholic University of America

Optional: Add in or trade in University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, College of WIlliam & Mary, and University of Richmond

NYC →1:30→ Princeton →1:00→ UPenn →2:00→ Johns Hopkins →1:10→ Georgetown →2:20→ UVA →3:20→ Duke

Open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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History Contest

RSVP: May 15 Breakfast

Visit the Hershey Story Museum in Hershey, PA

The Hershey Story, The Museum on Chocolate Avenue

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

• Accessibility Information
• Directions & Parking

Tour High Point Mansion

• Guest Feedback Survey

CURRENT SPECIAL EXHIBIT

Museum exhibits, events & programs, info & hours, students & teachers, looking for something.

Join us for a rare opportunity to tour High Point Mansion, the home of Milton and Catherine Hershey. Experience its historic grandeur, from the graceful rounded entry hall to the octagonal breakfast room. Admire many original furnishings and hear stories of how Mr. and Mrs. Hershey lived and entertained in their gracious home.

Read the history of High Point Mansion

High Point Tour Information

Purchase tickets here., tour tickets are released on the 15th of every month for the following month., tours are currently held on saturdays only., tickets are only sold online and are available on a first-come, first-served basis., __________________________________________________.

• Masks are optional for tour guides and guests.
• Tours typically last 60-75 minutes, and require standing/walking.  Seating is not available. We welcome personal wheelchairs, walkers and folding seat canes. One wheelchair is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Tour tickets will only be sold online, and must be purchased at least one day in advance of a tour. Tickets will not be sold at High Point Mansion.
• There is a ten-guest maximum per tour, plus two tour guides.
• Please arrive 10 minutes prior to your tour. Tours will congregate at the bottom of the front porch steps.
• Tours are recommended for children ages 8 and older.
• Items not permitted: strollers, large bags, backpacks, food and drinks.
• Photography is not permitted inside the building.
• Free parking is available in the adjoining lot, which is accessible through the gated entrance off Mansion Road.
• Tours that are cancelled due to inclement weather (icy conditions, significant snow accumulation) will be posted here on the homepage of HersheyStory.org.
• Once your order has been processed, no refunds or exchanges will be accepted.
• Enjoy walking tours of historic buildings in Hershey? Try Hershey Theatre’s Spotlight Tour !

High Point Tour Ticket Prices:

• Regular (ages 13-61) : $17.50
• Senior (ages 62+) : $15
• Junior (age 3-12) : $15
• Active Duty Military: $15
• Members of The Hershey Story: FREE (call 717-520-5581 to schedule)
• Members (Hershey Gardens or Hershey Theatre Guild) : $15
• Hershey History Special! Tour High Point Mansion and visit the Museum Experience at The Hershey Story for only $30.00 per person. Museum Experience ticket good for one visit within six months from date of purchase . It may be used at any time during normal operating hours ; specific time slot not required. 

Once your order has been processed, no refunds or exchanges will be accepted. Tour tickets are not sold at High Point Mansion.

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Visiting East Carolina University

The best way to get to know East Carolina University is to visit. We offer many opportunities for prospective students to experience campus, including: daily campus tours, information sessions, open houses, events for admitted students and other special events. Our enthusiastic students, faculty and staff look forward to welcoming you to our beautiful campus in the heart of Pirate Nation!

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The Evolving Danger of the New Bird Flu

An unusual outbreak of the disease has spread to dairy herds in multiple u.s. states..

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

From “The New York Times,” I’m Sabrina Tavernise, and this is “The Daily.”

[MUSIC PLAYING]

The outbreak of bird flu that is tearing through the nation’s poultry farms is the worst in US history. But scientists say it’s now starting to spread into places and species it’s never been before.

Today, my colleague, Emily Anthes, explains.

It’s Monday, April 22.

Emily, welcome back to the show.

Thanks for having me. Happy to be here.

So, Emily, we’ve been talking here on “The Daily” about prices of things and how they’ve gotten so high, mostly in the context of inflation episodes. And one of the items that keeps coming up is eggs. Egg prices were through the roof last year, and we learned it was related to this. Avian flu has been surging in the United States. You’ve been covering this. Tell us what’s happening.

Yes, so I have been covering this virus for the last few years. And the bird flu is absolutely tearing through poultry flocks, and that is affecting egg prices. That’s a concern for everyone, for me and for my family. But when it comes to scientists, egg prices are pretty low on their list of concerns. Because they see this bird flu virus behaving differently than previous versions have. And they’re getting nervous, in particular, about the fact that this virus is reaching places and species where it’s never been before.

OK, so bird flu, though, isn’t new. I mean I remember hearing about cases in Asia in the ‘90s. Remind us how it began.

Bird flu refers to a bunch of different viruses that are adapted to spread best in birds. Wild water birds, in particular, are known for carrying these viruses. And flu viruses are famous for also being shapeshifters. So they’re constantly swapping genes around and evolving into new strains. And as you mentioned back in the ‘90s, a new version of bird flu, a virus known as H5N1, emerged in Asia. And it has been spreading on and off around the world since then, causing periodic outbreaks.

And how are these outbreaks caused?

So wild birds are the reservoir for the virus, which means they carry it in their bodies with them around the world as they fly and travel and migrate. And most of the time, these wild birds, like ducks and geese, don’t even get very sick from this virus. But they shed it. So as they’re traveling over a poultry farm maybe, if they happen to go to the bathroom in a pond that the chickens on the farm are using or eat some of the feed that chickens on the farm are eating, they can leave the virus behind.

And the virus can get into chickens. In some cases, it causes mild illness. It’s what’s known as low pathogenic avian influenza. But sometimes the virus mutates and evolves, and it can become extremely contagious and extremely fatal in poultry.

OK, so the virus comes through wild birds, but gets into farms like this, as you’re describing. How have farms traditionally handled outbreaks, when they do happen?

Well, because this threat isn’t new, there is a pretty well-established playbook for containing outbreaks. It’s sometimes known as stamping out. And brutally, what it means is killing the birds. So the virus is so deadly in this highly pathogenic form that it’s sort of destined to kill all the birds on a farm anyway once it gets in. So the response has traditionally been to proactively depopulate or cull all the birds, so it doesn’t have a chance to spread.

So that’s pretty costly for farmers.

It is. Although the US has a program where it will reimburse farmers for their losses. And the way these reimbursements work is they will reimburse farmers only for the birds that are proactively culled, and not for those who die naturally from the virus. And the thinking behind that is it’s a way to incentivize farmers to report outbreaks early.

So, OK, lots of chickens are killed in a way to manage these outbreaks. So we know how to deal with them. But what about now? Tell me about this new strain.

So this new version of the virus, it emerged in 2020.

After the deadly outbreak of the novel coronavirus, authorities have now confirmed an outbreak of the H5N1 strain of influenza, a kind of bird flu.

And pretty quickly it became clear that a couple things set it apart.

A bald eagle found dead at Carvins Cove has tested positive for the highly contagious bird flu.

This virus, for whatever reason, seemed very good at infecting all sorts of wild birds that we don’t normally associate with bird flu.

[BIRD CRYING]

He was kind of stepping, and then falling over, and using its wing to right itself.

Things like eagles and condors and pelicans.

We just lost a parliament of owls in Minneapolis.

Yeah, a couple of high profile nests.

And also in the past, wild birds have not traditionally gotten very sick from this virus. And this version of the virus not only spread widely through the wild bird population, but it proved to be devastating.

The washing up along the East Coast of the country from Scotland down to Suffolk.

We were hearing about mass die-offs of seabirds in Europe by the hundreds and the thousands.

And the bodies of the dead dot the island wherever you look.

Wow. OK. So then as we know, this strain, like previous ones, makes its way from wild animals to farmed animals, namely to chickens. But it’s even more deadly.

Absolutely. And in fact, it has already caused the worst bird flu outbreak in US history. So more than 90 million birds in the US have died as a result of this virus.

90 million birds.

Yes, and I should be clear that represents two things. So some of those birds are birds who naturally got infected and died from the virus. But the vast majority of them are birds that were proactively culled. What it adds up to is, is 90 million farmed birds in the US have died since this virus emerged. And it’s not just a chicken problem. Another thing that has been weird about this virus is it has jumped into other kinds of farms. It is the first time we’ve seen a bird flu virus jump into US livestock.

And it’s now been reported on a number of dairy farms across eight US states. And that’s just something that’s totally unprecedented.

So it’s showing up at Dairy farms now. You’re saying that bird flu has now spread to cows. How did that happen?

So we don’t know exactly how cows were first infected, but most scientists’ best guess is that maybe an infected wild bird that was migrating shed the virus into some cattle feed or a pasture or a pond, and cattle picked it up. The good news is they don’t seem to get nearly as sick as chickens do. They are generally making full recoveries on their own in a couple of weeks.

OK, so no mass culling of cows?

No, that doesn’t seem to be necessary at this point. But the bad news is that it’s starting to look like we’re seeing this virus spread from cow to cow. We don’t know exactly how that’s happening yet. But anytime you see cow-to-cow or mammal-to-mammal transmission, that’s a big concern.

And why is that exactly?

Well, there are a bunch of reasons. First, it could allow the outbreak to get much bigger, much faster, which might increase the risk to the food supply. And we might also expect it to increase the risk to farm workers, people who might be in contact with these sick cows.

Right now, the likelihood that a farmer who gets this virus passes it on is pretty low. But any time you see mammal-to-mammal transmission, it increases the chance that the virus will adapt and possibly, maybe one day get good at spreading between humans. To be clear, that’s not something that there’s any evidence happening in cows right now. But the fact that there’s any cow-to-cow transmission happening at all is enough to have scientists a bit concerned.

And then if we think more expansively beyond what’s happening on farms, there’s another big danger lurking out there. And that’s what happens when this virus gets into wild animals, vast populations that we can’t control.

We’ll be right back.

So, Emily, you said that another threat was the threat of flu in wild animal populations. Clearly, of course, it’s already in wild birds. Where else has it gone?

Well, the reason it’s become such a threat is because of how widespread it’s become in wild birds. So they keep reintroducing it to wild animal populations pretty much anywhere they go. So we’ve seen the virus repeatedly pop up in all sorts of animals that you might figure would eat a wild bird, so foxes, bobcats, bears. We actually saw it in a polar bear, raccoons. So a lot of carnivores and scavengers.

The thinking is that these animals might stumble across a sick or dead bird, eat it, and contract the virus that way. But we’re also seeing it show up in some more surprising places, too. We’ve seen the virus in a bottle-nosed dolphin, of all places.

And most devastatingly, we’ve seen enormous outbreaks in other sorts of marine mammals, especially sea lions and seals.

So elephant seals, in particular in South America, were just devastated by this virus last fall. My colleague Apoorva Mandavilli and I were talking to some scientists in South America who described to us what they called a scene from hell, of walking out onto a beach in Argentina that is normally crowded with chaotic, living, breathing, breeding, elephant seals — and the beach just being covered by carcass, after carcass, after carcass.

Mostly carcasses of young newborn pups. The virus seemed to have a mortality rate of 95 percent in these elephant seal pups, and they estimated that it might have killed more than 17,000 of the pups that were born last year. So almost the entire new generation of this colony. These are scientists that have studied these seals for decades. And they said they’ve never seen anything like it before.

And why is it so far reaching, Emily? I mean, what explains these mass die-offs?

There are probably a few explanations. One is just how much virus is out there in the environment being shed by wild birds into water and onto beaches. These are also places that viruses like this haven’t been before. So it’s reaching elephant seals and sea lions in South America that have no prior immunity.

There’s also the fact that these particular species, these sea lions and seals, tend to breed in these huge colonies all crowded together on beaches. And so what that means is if a virus makes its way into the colony, it’s very conducive conditions for it to spread. And scientists think that that’s actually what’s happening now. That it’s not just that all these seals are picking up the virus from individual birds, but that they’re actually passing it to each other.

So basically, this virus is spreading to places it’s never been before, kind of virgin snow territory, where animals just don’t have the immunity against it. And once it gets into a population packed on a beach, say, of elephant seals, it’s just like a knife through butter.

Absolutely. And an even more extreme example of that is what we’re starting to see happen in Antarctica, where there’s never been a bird flu outbreak before until last fall, for the first time, this virus reached the Antarctic mainland. And we are now seeing the virus move through colonies of not only seabirds and seals, but penguin colonies, which have not been exposed to these viruses before.

And it’s too soon to say what the toll will be. But penguins also, of course, are known for breeding in these large colonies.

Probably. don’t have many immune defenses against this virus, and of course, are facing all these other environmental threats. And so there’s a lot of fear that you add on the stress of a bird flu virus, and it could just be a tipping point for penguins.

Emily, at this point, I’m kind of wondering why more people aren’t talking about this. I mean, I didn’t know any of this before having this conversation with you, and it feels pretty worrying.

Well, a lot of experts and scientists are talking about this with rising alarm and in terms that are quite stark. They’re talking about the virus spreading through wild animal populations so quickly and so ferociously that they’re calling it an ecological disaster.

But that’s a disaster that sometimes seems distant from us, both geographically, we’re talking about things that are happening maybe at the tip of Argentina or in Antarctica. And also from our concerns of our everyday lives, what’s happening in Penguins might not seem like it has a lot to do with the price of a carton of eggs at the grocery store. But I think that we should be paying a lot of attention to how this virus is moving through animal populations, how quickly it’s moving through animal populations, and the opportunities that it is giving the virus to evolve into something that poses a much bigger threat to human health.

So the way it’s spreading in wild animals, even in remote places like Antarctica, that’s important to watch, at least in part because there’s a real danger to people here.

So we know that the virus can infect humans, and that generally it’s not very good at spreading between humans. But the concern all along has been that if this virus has more opportunities to spread between mammals, it will get better at spreading between them. And that seems to be what is happening in seals and sea lions. Scientists are already seeing evidence that the virus is adapting as it passes from marine mammal to marine mammal. And that could turn it into a virus that’s also better at spreading between people.

And if somebody walks out onto a beach and touches a dead sea lion, if their dog starts playing with a sea lion carcass, you could imagine that this virus could make its way out of marine mammals and into the human population. And if it’s this mammalian adapted version of the virus that makes its way out, that could be a bigger threat to human health.

So the sheer number of hosts that this disease has, the more opportunity it has to mutate, and the more chance it has to mutate in a way that would actually be dangerous for people.

Yes, and in particular, the more mammalian hosts. So that gives the virus many more opportunities to become a specialist in mammals instead of a specialist in birds, which is what it is right now.

Right. I like that, a specialist in mammals. So what can we do to contain this virus?

Well, scientists are exploring new options. There’s been a lot of discussion about whether we should start vaccinating chickens in the US. The government, USDA labs, have been testing some poultry vaccines. It’s probably scientifically feasible. There are challenges there, both in terms of logistics — just how would you go about vaccinating billions of chickens every year. There are also trade questions. Traditionally, a lot of countries have not been willing to accept poultry products from countries that vaccinate their poultry.

And there’s concern about whether the virus might spread undetected in flocks that are vaccinated. So as we saw with COVID, the vaccine can sometimes stop you from getting sick, but it doesn’t necessarily stop infection. And so countries are worried they might unknowingly import products that are harboring the virus.

And what about among wild animals? I mean, how do you even begin to get your head around that?

Yeah, I mean, thinking about vaccinating wild animals maybe makes vaccinating all the chickens in the US look easy. There has been some discussion of limited vaccination campaigns, but that’s not feasible on a global scale. So unfortunately, the bottom line is there isn’t a good way to stop spread in wild animals. We can try to protect some vulnerable populations, but we’re not going to stop the circulation of this virus.

So, Emily, we started this conversation with a kind of curiosity that “The Daily” had about the price of eggs. And then you explained the bird flu to us. And then somehow we ended up learning about an ecological disaster that’s unfolding all around us, and potentially the source of the next human pandemic. That is pretty scary.

It is scary, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed by it. And I feel like I should take a step back and say none of this is inevitable. None of this is necessarily happening tomorrow. But this is why scientists are concerned and why they think it’s really important to keep a very close eye on what’s happening both on farms and off farms, as this virus spreads through all sorts of animal populations.

One thing that comes up again and again and again in my interviews with people who have been studying bird flu for decades, is how this virus never stops surprising them. And sometimes those are bad surprises, like these elephant seal die-offs, the incursions into dairy cattle. But there are some encouraging signs that have emerged recently. We’re starting to see some early evidence that some of the bird populations that survived early brushes with this virus might be developing some immunity. So that’s something that maybe could help slow the spread of this virus in animal populations.

We just don’t entirely know how this is going to play out. Flu is a very difficult, wily foe. And so that’s one reason scientists are trying to keep such a close, attentive eye on what’s happening.

Emily, thank you.

Thanks for having me.

Here’s what else you should know today.

On this vote, the yeas are 366 and the nays are 58. The bill is passed.

On Saturday, in four back-to-back votes, the House voted resoundingly to approve a long-stalled package of aid to Ukraine, Israel and other American allies, delivering a major victory to President Biden, who made aid to Ukraine one of his top priorities.

On this vote, the yeas are 385, and the no’s are 34 with one answering present. The bill is passed without objection.

The House passed the component parts of the $95 billion package, which included a bill that could result in a nationwide ban of TikTok.

On this vote, the yeas are 311 and the nays are 112. The bill is passed.

Oh, one voting present. I missed it, but thank you.

In a remarkable breach of custom, Democrats stepped in to supply the crucial votes to push the legislation past hard-line Republican opposition and bring it to the floor.

The House will be in order.

The Senate is expected to pass the legislation as early as Tuesday.

Today’s episode was produced by Rikki Novetsky, Nina Feldman, Eric Krupke, and Alex Stern. It was edited by Lisa Chow and Patricia Willens; contains original music by Marion Lozano, Dan Powell, Rowan Niemisto, and Sophia Lanman; and was engineered by Chris Wood. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Andrew Jacobs.

That’s it for “The Daily.” I’m Sabrina Tavernise. See you tomorrow.

• April 24, 2024   •   32:18 Is $60 Billion Enough to Save Ukraine?
• April 23, 2024   •   30:30 A Salacious Conspiracy or Just 34 Pieces of Paper?
• April 22, 2024   •   24:30 The Evolving Danger of the New Bird Flu
• April 19, 2024   •   30:42 The Supreme Court Takes Up Homelessness
• April 18, 2024   •   30:07 The Opening Days of Trump’s First Criminal Trial
• April 17, 2024   •   24:52 Are ‘Forever Chemicals’ a Forever Problem?
• April 16, 2024   •   29:29 A.I.’s Original Sin
• April 15, 2024   •   24:07 Iran’s Unprecedented Attack on Israel
• April 14, 2024   •   46:17 The Sunday Read: ‘What I Saw Working at The National Enquirer During Donald Trump’s Rise’
• April 12, 2024   •   34:23 How One Family Lost $900,000 in a Timeshare Scam
• April 11, 2024   •   28:39 The Staggering Success of Trump’s Trial Delay Tactics
• April 10, 2024   •   22:49 Trump’s Abortion Dilemma

Hosted by Sabrina Tavernise

Produced by Rikki Novetsky ,  Nina Feldman ,  Eric Krupke and Alex Stern

Edited by Lisa Chow and Patricia Willens

Original music by Marion Lozano ,  Dan Powell ,  Rowan Niemisto and Sophia Lanman

Engineered by Chris Wood

Listen and follow The Daily Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music

The outbreak of bird flu currently tearing through the nation’s poultry is the worst in U.S. history. Scientists say it is now spreading beyond farms into places and species it has never been before.

Emily Anthes, a science reporter for The Times, explains.

On today’s episode

Emily Anthes , a science reporter for The New York Times.

Background reading

Scientists have faulted the federal response to bird flu outbreaks on dairy farms .

Here’s what to know about the outbreak.

There are a lot of ways to listen to The Daily. Here’s how.

We aim to make transcripts available the next workday after an episode’s publication. You can find them at the top of the page.

Special thanks to Andrew Jacobs .

The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Dan Farrell, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Renan Borelli, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson and Nina Lassam.

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Every week we get experts to answer your Money Problems - usually on a Monday, but today we have a short, bonus addition in light of multiple lenders raising mortgage rates this week on fears an interest rate cut could be delayed to a little later this year (note: many economists still think it will come in summer).

A few readers have got in touch with questions similar to this one...

My remortgage is due to complete on 1 May. I already have an offer but with rates going up, is there any way at all my offer rate could increase? Saz681

We asked David Hollingworth, director at L&C Mortgages, to answer this one...

It's great news that you are already set up with a mortgage offer, Saz - ready to make a smooth switch to a new deal and/or lender, once the current one ends.  

It does take time to set up a new mortgage so shopping around the market a good few months ahead will help you put everything in place and avoid slipping onto a high variable rate.

Fixed rates have been nudging up slightly but you have already got a formal offer in place so shouldn't worry.  

Applying for a mortgage will generally secure that rate and the lender will then carry out any further checks to issue the mortgage offer.  

The offer will be valid for a specified period, often for up to six months. Rates are always shifting for new customers but you can rest easy that your rate should be safe and sound for your switch in May.

This feature is not intended as financial advice - the aim is to give an overview of the things you should think about. Submit your dilemma or consumer dispute, leaving your name and where in the country you are, by emailing [email protected] with the subject line "Money blog". Alternatively, WhatsApp us  here .

By Ollie Cooper , Money team

Interest in a phenomenon known as "dark tourism" has been steadily rising in recent years - but what is it?

To find out, we've spoken with tourism academic  Dr Hayley Stainton  and renowned dark tourist and author Dr Peter Hohenhaus, who runs a  dark tourism website .

What is it?

In general, dark tourism involves travelling to sites connected to death or disaster.

"Dark tourism has been around for as long as we have been travelling to places associated with death," Dr Stainton says. 

However, the term wasn't officially coined until 1996 by John Lennon, a professor of tourism at Glasgow Caledonian University, in Scotland.

"Not everyone is familiar with the term," says Dr Stainton, "[but] many people have been a dark tourist at some time or another, whether intentional or not."

Some examples of the most famous sites

• Auschwitz concentration camp, Poland
• 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York, US
• Chernobyl, Ukraine 
• Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan
• Choeung Ek "killing fields" and the Tuol Sleng genocide museum at the former S-21 prison in Phnom Penh, Cambodia 

Areas with a degree of infamy, like Alcatraz, are extremely popular spots that also fall under the "dark tourism" umbrella. 

How popular is it?

Dr Hohenhaus and Dr Stainton say they have noticed a rise in its popularity. 

"Tourists are looking for more unique and unusual experiences," Dr Stainton says. 

"This has seen a move away from the more traditional 'sun, sea and sand' type holidays to a variety of different tourism forms, which includes dark tourism."

Dr Hohenhaus adds: "Maybe people want to connect to more recent and hence more personally relevant history - that is definitely the case with myself."

He goes on: "I think I've learned more about the world through dark tourism than through all of my formal education or my previous academic career."

Is it ethical?

This is the big question associated with dark tourism. 

Dr Stainton says that while problems do arise, the stigma around the practice is often misguided. 

"People don't visit sites like the killing fields in Cambodia or the site of Chernobyl for 'fun' - they visit for the educational experience, as dark tourism is often also a form of educational tourism," she says.

Problems arise when tourists are not respectful to those who may have been impacted.

"For instance, taking inappropriate photos or laughing and joking when others may be in a state of mourning."

Notorious examples include people taking selfies outside Grenfell Tower and at Auschwitz. 

"It is therefore imperative that dark tourists are considerate of those around them and respectful at all times," Dr Stainton says.

"As long as you are not just after a cheap sensationalist thrill - take dark tourism seriously and do it right, and it can be an immensely enriching thing to engage in."  Dr Hohenhaus

Where could you go? 

These are Dr Hohenhaus' recommendations:

• Ijen crater in Indonesia - where at night you can see the fabled blue flames of the sulphur mines next to the volcano crater lake;
• The Polygon, the former Semipalatinsk nuclear weapons test site of the USSR, now in Kazakhstan;
• The Goli Otok former prison island off the coast of Croatia;
• The Murambi memorial to the Rwandan genocide - which Dr Hohenhaus says is "certainly the very darkest place I have ever been";
• Majdanek concentration camp memorial near Lublin, eastern Poland.

What do you think of dark tourism? Is it misunderstood, educational or abhorrent?  Let us know in the comments section...

John Lewis will be sharing its job interview questions online in an attempt to find the "best talent".

The retail chain hopes that allowing candidates to view questions before an interview will allow prospective employees to "really demonstrate what they can do" and prepare, the Financial Times reports.

John Lewis talent acquisition lead Lorna Bullett told the paper that interviews can feel daunting and "nerves can seriously impact performance".

She said the company wanted "the right people" from a variety of backgrounds and with "the best talent" to join.

"It makes absolute business sense to find ways of helping candidates to really demonstrate what they can do," she said.

Ms Bullett added that the process will be "no less rigorous".

Every Thursday we look at a different savings option, explain the pros and cons, and reveal the best deals on the market.  This week we're talking about the best fixed-rate bonds.  Savings Champion founder Anna Bowes  says...

As the name suggests, fixed-rate bonds pay a fixed rate of interest for a fixed term and this interest is taxable at your normal rate – if you exceed your personal savings allowances.

Over the last couple of years, fixed-rate bond rates have increased substantially and many of the top rates are now paying more than inflation, although this may not be the case for those who pay tax on their savings.

That said, the competition has slowed recently as it appears that inflation is more under control, and as a result the Bank of England base rate is expected to start to fall. We have seen the top rates on offer start to come down a little.

What is interesting and a little unusual is that the longer-term bond rates are lower than the short-term rates. Normally you would expect to be rewarded for tying your money up for longer, but that's not the case at the moment. This is a clear indication that the base rate is expected to fall over the next few months and years.

Locking into a longer-term bond, even at lower rates, may turn out to be a very wise move, especially if the interest you are earning is beating inflation for the duration of the bond.

MPs have voted in favour of the government's Renters' Reform Bill - despite it including an indefinite delay to the end of no-fault evictions.

A debate on the legislation ran throughout Wednesday afternoon, including around a new clause from the government which would hold off outlawing Section 21s until a review of the courts system had taken place.

But despite outrage from charities, campaigners and opposition parties around the measure, it got the backing of the majority of MPs - and the bill passed its final stage in the Commons shortly after 6.30pm.

A Section 21 notice is the legal mechanism allowing landlords to evict tenants without providing a reason, which creates uncertainty for those who rent their homes.

The government first promised to ban the notices five years ago, back when Theresa May was still in Number 10.

But it has faced numerous delays amid threats of rebellion from Tory backbenchers - some of them landlords - who said they feared ending Section 21s would see the courts overwhelmed with more complex eviction cases.

Ministers agreed to amend the bill to ensure no ban was enacted until a probe into the courts had been held.

But the clause offers no timeline - leaving no clear date for when Section 21s will actually be scrapped.

Read more here... 

By Daniel Binns , business reporter

Ryanair is suing air traffic control body Nats over last summer's flight chaos when more than 700,000 passengers were hit by cancellations and delays.

The low-cost carrier's chief executive Michael O'Leary said his company had been forced to pay out around £15m in compensation following the  widespread disruption  around the August Bank Holiday Monday.

An investigation into the meltdown found it was caused by a  National Air Traffic Services (Nats) technical glitch .

Around 300,000 people suffered cancellations, while approximately 95,000 endured delays of over three hours, and at least a further 300,000 were hit by shorter delays.

Airlines lost a total of £100m in refunds, rebookings, hotel rooms and refreshments.

Mr O'Leary told Sky's  Business Live with Ian King : "When things go wrong in the airline industry, we have to compensate our passengers and we want to recover those costs directly from Nats."

A spokeswoman for Nats told Sky News: "Our legal team is reviewing the claim and will respond as required."

Yesterday we reported on a Which? survey ranking Virgin Media as having the worst overall customer service among broadband providers...

Virgin Media hit back - saying the annual survey used a sample size of 0.01% of its customer base, and on average 95% of customer complaints were resolved during a customer's first initial call.

And they told the Money blog improvements were being made to customer service...

"We are investing and making changes across our business to deliver tangible customer service improvements and ensure all customers receive the best possible service," the company said.

"For example, we're multi-skilling our teams and rolling out new IT platforms that make it easier for customers to get support and have issues resolved the first time they get in touch." 

Our comments section has been bombarded with people saying they are Virgin Media customers and sharing their experiences - all but two were negative.

Here's a selection...

Virgin Media broadband keeps dropping down in speed, sometimes it drops out all day. Phoning them makes no difference. We will change supplier when our contract is up. Alan Francis

I completely agree. I've had a year of unbelievably bad service relating to the installation of broadband in our new house. It's impossible to communicate with Virgin Media without severe trauma. Everything goes through one number into an automated system that simply doesn't work. Frank

Been with Virgin Media for 13 years and they have really dropped in customer service, they don't value loyalty and all their call handlers seem to be working from home. If there is a problem they transfer you to somebody else who you have to explain your issue to again. Plumby

We moved from Virgin Media for our broadband/TV a few years ago for precisely that reason - very poor customer service. Carol Bell

I left Virgin this week too. New customers get a good price whilst existing customers see prices triple. Non-UK call centre that just pass you around when anything goes wrong. Just cancelling took an hour on the phone. Glad there are new fibre providers in my area. Digger

Current Virgin Media customer and it gives me anxiety knowing I have to call them as it takes too long to get anyone on the call or they have disconnected me, or they say they cannot help and transfer me to another department and then drop the call. LisaJ

A reader calling themselves GH was more positive, saying: "I have just renewed with Virgin Media, great customer service."

And Wells85 said: "I am a Virgin customer and have been for the last nearly seven years and I think their broadband service is top notch and their customer service."

There are only a few weeks left until all cats in England need to be microchipped.

From 10 June, every moggie must have a chip and be registered on a database by the time they are 20 weeks old.

The numbered device, which shows up whenever an animal is scanned, is placed under the skin, usually around the shoulder area.

It is likely to cost £20-£30 and will be used to identify your cat if it gets lost.

Owners who miss the deadline could be fined up to £500.

There are also fears that pet insurance may be affected - if, for example, your cat is stolen and you make a claim.

There are more than nine million pet cats in England, and up to 2.3 million are unchipped, the environment department said.

Your feline's microchip "must be fitted by a trained professional", the government website says.

Vets, local councils, rescue and rehoming centres may all be able to help.

Owners are asked to keep the chip information up to date - for example, if they move house.

There are various databases that meet government standards on which to register the chip, including Animal Data, Animal Tracker and Lost Paws.

TSB has followed other major lenders in hiking mortgage rates this week - and theirs are pretty big.

First-time buyer, mover and remortgage rates are going up by as much as 0.45%.

Shared ownership/equity products will rise by up to 0.75%.

The lender is also withdrawing some tracker mortgages - and all house purchase and remortgage products (two and five-year fixed) without a fee.

It follows upward moves from NatWest, Barclays, Accord, Leeds Building Society and HSBC on Monday, and Coventry last week.

They are responding to swap rates - which dictate how much it costs to lend money - rising on the back of higher than expected US inflation data, and concerns this could delay interest rate cuts there. 

US trends often materialise elsewhere - though many economists are still expecting a base rate cut from 5.25% to 5% in the UK in June.

Ken James, director at Contractor Mortgage Services, told Newspage: "As lenders scramble for safety, the mortgage landscape appears increasingly grim. 

"With swap rates on the rise, lenders are transparent about their need for profit margins, prompting them to hike up their rates accordingly. 

"The significant uptick in rates for shared ownership mortgages suggests that TSB is distancing itself from this sector, leaving aspiring homeowners with even fewer options. 

"While TSB may be the latest target of criticism, they are not alone in seeking refuge in lifeboats, as more lenders follow suit.

"The mortgage market is once again thrown into turmoil, echoing past upheavals."

Holiday price increases may be starting to ease heading into the summer as competition heats up across the sector, Jet2 says.

Trips booked for this summer have seen "a modest increase" in cost compared with last year, the tour operator says - but prices have recently become "more competitive, particularly for April and May departures".

Russ Mould, an analyst at AJ Bell, said: "This could be a sign that the pricing power enjoyed by the sector, with people prepared to pay whatever it takes to get their week in the sun, is starting to ease."

People visiting Venice for day trips will have to pay a tourist tax from tomorrow.

The €5 charge is being implemented in part to tackle overtourism in the picturesque Italian city.

It won't be in place every day - the first charging period lasts from 25 April to 5 May. 

It will then come back into play on May 11, 12, 18, 19, 25 and 26, June 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29 and 30, and July 6, 7, 13 and 14 - between 8.30am and 4pm.

Some UK banks have potential loopholes in their security systems which leave customers at risk from online scammers, according to consumer champion Which?

The group looked at the apps and websites of 13 current account providers with assistance from experts.

Despite all using multi-layered security to try and prevent security breaches, some still fell below the expected standard.

Which? gave TSB a score of 54% for its mobile app security and 67% for online security - the lowest and second-lowest scores respectively.

The Co-operative Bank placed last for online security, with a score of 61%.

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